Devotions

Abram: the living one who sees me

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

Genesis 16. There was a well between Kadesh and Bered that stood as a memorial of this time when Abram followed Sarai’s advice and tried to pull a fast one on God. He impregnated Hagar, and her attitude toward her mistress changed overnight. Sarai dealt harshly with Hagar, so she fled from her (6.).

The living one who sees all stopped Hagar, and told her to go back and submit to her mistress. Even this mistake fits into his divine plan. The one who sees me is the one who will provide for my future.

LORD, keep us constantly aware of your presence, and trusting in your provision.

Posted in Abraham, confidence, dependence upon God, plan of God, trust | Tagged Genesis 16 | 1 Comment

Abram: dreadful and great darkness

Posted on January 15, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

Genesis 15. Abram had just rejected the reward offered him by the king of Sodom. Next, the LORD promises that his “reward shall be very great” (1). The LORD gives him a glimpse into his ultimate future by showing him a sky full of stars. The LORD says “so shall your offspring be” (5).

The next question Abram has is about his possession of the land. The LORD has Abram act out a sign where some sacrificial animals are placed on the ground, and Abram protects them from the birds of prey. Will Abram see his descendants come into the land? No, he is in a deep sleep, and dreadful and great darkness falls upon him. God explains that “As for yourself, you will go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. and they shall come back here in the fourth generation” (15:15-16a).

LORD, may we trust you for the future of our descendants, like father Abraham did.

Posted in Abraham, dependence upon God, future, sleep of death, trust | Tagged Genesis 15 | 1 Comment

Abram: rescue

Posted on January 14, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

Genesis 14. By this time, Abram had amassed an army of 318 men with military training – just in time to rescue Lot and his people and possessions when they had been caught on the losing side of the battle of the kings.

Abram had been promised all the land he could see (13:14-15), but he did not use his victory in this battle to claim any land. He trusted God “Possessor of heaven and earth” (19) to fulfill his promise. He showed this by giving a tithe to the king of Salem (20), and by not taking anything from the king of Sodom (22-23). He had determined that his rescue would come from the LORD.

LORD, we thank you for the promise of eternal rescue and of an everlasting inheritance from you. Because of that promise, we can risk everything to rescue the lost Lots of this world, knowing that our future is sure in you.

Posted in Abraham, dependence upon God, eternal life, evangelism | Tagged Genesis 14 | 1 Comment

Abram: competition

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

Genesis 13:2-18. Abram and Lot travel back to the promised land with all their people and livestock and stuff. They stop for a very important prayer meeting at the place where Abram had built an altar before – between Bethel and Ai. This was a very significant spot, because it would come to represent the two kinds of competition that the Israelites would face in the conquest of the land centuries later.

Bethel was a major city at the time and represented the external competition which at the time of Abram was the Canaanites and the Perizzites (7).
Ai looked eastward toward the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. It represented internal competition of lust and greed. It was this land that Lot chose (11). It would later be at Ai that Achan would sin by keeping back some of the devoted loot (Joshua 7:1-26).

LORD, we call upon your name, and ask you to keep us from all things that would deprive us of our eternal inheritance.

Posted in Abraham, commitment, dependence upon God, faith, truth | Tagged Genesis 13 | 1 Comment

Abram: exodus from Egypt

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

Genesis 12:1-13:1. Moses wanted the Israelites that God had promised them the land of Canaan long before they set foot in Egypt. The promise was made to Abram, while he was still in Ur. Terah got him as far as Haran, and died there. Abram went with all his possessions (sound familiar?) God had promised to bless him, and bless those who blessed him – and curse (sound familiar?) those who cursed him. They didn’t say in the promised land long, before famine (sound familiar?) forced them to seek refuge in Egypt (sound familiar?) where Pharaoh sent them on an exodus to Canaan (sound familiar?) after experiencing great plagues (sound familiar?) because he had taken Sarai.

This whole story was déjà vu for the Israelites. The history of their ancestor told them that they were in the right place.

LORD, though times may be hard for us, we know that in you we are where we are supposed to be. We will trust in you.

Posted in Abraham, dependence upon God, plan of God, trust | Tagged Genesis 12, Genesis 13 | 1 Comment

first look at the nation God chose

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

Genesis 11. Moses now transitions his narrative to focus not on God’s dealings with the whole of humanity, but with one particular nation. The story of Babel (1-9) explains why God is doing that. Left alone, the nations gather together in a city and propose a building project. God’s expressed will was for them to scatter over the face of the whole earth. They would not do that. So, God purposely changed their language so that their differences would do what their unity would not.

Next, Moses provides the genealogy of Shem to Abram (10-30) and explains how Abram got to Haran (31-32). The past eleven chapters is prologue to what happens next.

LORD, forgive us for choosing to do things that are against your will. May we be among those whom you set apart to bring blessing by our obedience.

Posted in adoption, discipleship, faithfulness, sovereignty of God | Tagged Genesis 11 | 1 Comment

first look at the nations God loves

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

Genesis 9:20-10:32. This section highlights the event leading to Noah’s curse upon his grandson, Canaan, in retaliation for his son Ham’s humiliation of him. Moses probably wanted to recount this story because it gave justification for the Israelites moving to the promised land. Noah had predicted that Canaan would be the servant of Shem (9:26).

But Moses lists all the descendants of Noah here – not just those of Shem, from whom the Israelites came. God has a plan for all nations – not just the one through whom the Messiah will come. He wants to bless all the nations through his chosen one. He rescued all three of Noah’s sons with the ark. He wants to rescue all their descendants with the cross, because he loves them all.

LORD, give us your heart for all nations, not just our own.

Posted in deliverance, ethnic Israel, evangelism, Jesus Christ, missions | Tagged Genesis 10, Genesis 9 | Leave a comment

first look at a second covenant

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

Genesis 8:20-9:19. God has just lashed out in fierce anger over the sinfulness and corruption of humanity, and destroyed almost every living thing on the planet. If God is like this, how will life survive?

God makes a covenant with Noah and all the creatures of the earth. He promises not to ever destroy the earth with a flood again. He requires that human life be protected by the principle of talion, a life for a life. He presents a rainbow as the sign of this new covenant of protection. When rain clouds appear, the bow will be there, reminding the planet that God – who can destroy us – has decided to save us.

LORD, thank you for the sign of your decision to save life. Thank you for the cross.

Posted in deliverance, grace, hope, new covenant, the cross | Tagged Genesis 8, Genesis 9 | 1 Comment

first look at a second chance

Posted on January 8, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

Genesis 8:1-19. The imagery and wording of this section echoes Genesis 1. God is making a new heavens and a new earth. The Hebrew verb in 8:10 suggests that Noah anxiously longed for this, like a woman in childbirth. Noah and his family had been in the ark for over a year. It was a long wait for a second chance.

(source: ESV Study Bible, page 63).

We –believers – are presently in God’s ark of safety until he destroys all things with fire at Christ’s second coming. We are in a long wait for our second chance as well. The difference is that there is still an opportunity for us to bring others into the cross for rescue.

LORD, thank you for the second chance at eternal life in your favor. May we use this long time of waiting to compel others to leave their destruction and seek your second chance.

Posted in deliverance, destruction in hell, evangelism, grace, Jesus Christ, patience, second coming, witness | Tagged Genesis 8 | 1 Comment

first look at destruction by justice

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

Genesis 7. The flood that came upon the earth in Noah’s day was a cataclysmic event beyond all proportions. It cannot be compared with any natural disaster that has happened since. God in his grace has allowed Noah to rescue his own family and prepare for their needs while in the ark. But it was time for justice. God said “every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground (4). God’s justice prevailed. “He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground” (22). “Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark” (23).

LORD, we thank you for your redeeming grace, which has rescued us. But we tremble to think of your inevitable justice which is coming to this earth again – this time by a consuming fire. Help us to reach all that we can so that they also can find safety inside your cross.

Posted in destruction in hell, grace, judgment, redemption | Tagged Genesis 7 | 1 Comment